22 TRERONID/E. 



Sub-Family CARPOPHAGIN^.— Fruit Pigeons. 



Bill longer than in Treronina:, more slender and depressed at the base ; the 

 terminal third corneous ; wings long ; tail even or rounded, longer than in the 

 Treroniim ; feet with broad soles ; tarsus short and well feathered ; under 

 mandible feathered to nearly the tip. Breeds at high altitudes, and lays but one 

 egg. 



Gen. Carpophaga.— ^^/3>^. 



General characters of the sub-family ; plumage above glossy metallic 

 green or coppery brown. 



28. Carpophaga senea {Linn.), Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. 

 p. 496 ; id., Sir. F. ii. p. 260 ; iii. p. 163 ; Blylh, B. Burtn. p. I44 ; Wald., 

 Trans. Zool. Soc. ix. p. 215; Armstrong, Str. F. iv. p. 337; Inglis, Str. F. 

 V. p. 39; Hume and Bav., Str. F. vi. p. 416; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 109; 

 Legge, B. Ceylon p. 718 ; Bingham, Str. F. ix. p. 194 ; Parker, Str. F. ix. 

 p. 481 ; Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii. p. 301. Columba Knea, Linn., Syst.Nat. I. 

 p. 283. Columba sylvatica, Tick., J. A. S. B. iii. p. 58 1. Carpophaga 

 Wj\v\\AC2i{Tick^,Jerd., B.Lid.u. p. 455, No. 7S0 ; Murray, Avif. Brit. 

 Lnd. ii. p. S03, No. 1152. — The Imperial Green Pigeon, 



Whole head and neck and entire under parts pearl grey, tinged with ruddy 

 vinaceous ; under tail coverts deep maroon ; orbital feathers, base of bill and chin 

 whitish ; back, rump, upper tail coverts, tertiaries, upper wing coverts and tail 

 shining coppery green ; axillaries buf? ; primaries and secondaries greenish 

 brown, tinged with ashy on the outer webs. Bill greyish, the base dull red ; 

 eyelids, legs, and feet lake red. 



Length. — 17 inches ; tail 6-5 ; wing 9; tarsus ri ; bill from gape v^. 



Hah. — The whole of India, from Ceylon to Assam and Sylhet, except the 

 North- West Provinces and the Himalayas. It is also found in Burmah, and 

 extends through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Java. Affects forests and 

 well-wooded parts of the country. Abundant in the Malabar forests, in Central 

 and Southern India, IMidnapore and the countries to the north-east generally. 

 Breeds in the Andamans and in Tenasserim ; also in the forests of Central 

 India, laying only a single egg in a nest made of twigs in thickets and bamboo 

 bushes. INIarch and April are the months in which it breeds. The eggs of this 

 species are much sought after in Southern India and Ceylon for the purpose 

 of making a peculiar lamp black used by the upper classes of Malabarese and 

 Cingalese ladies for painting the inner eyelids with and darkening the eyebrow. 

 This is said to keep off the evil eye or nuzzur, equal, it is believed, to covet- 

 ousness. To the flesh of the young in Yunani medicine, like that of young 

 crows, is attributed aphrodisaic properties. 



